How To Send a Google Maps route destination from your computer to your Leaf's Navigation System

WARNING: If you setup auto-download, there's no known way to get it to stop prompting you. The suggestion is to not use auto-download until a fix is available from Nissan (if ever)

This was first hypothesized here, then broke out in a conversation here and I promised to do a quick write up on details for others in the Tips forum (sorry, I tend to be verbose!) There's no reference to the Google Maps bits (although some of the others are covered a bit) so here's my best shot at detailing it/wrapping it together so others can do it, too.

What You'll Have When Done With Setup BelowYou can enter a route on your computer in about 20 seconds/4 clicks, the route will be sent to your car, automatically downloaded when you start-up the car, and with a final 3 clicks on the car's touchscreen, you'll be navigating to your Google Maps Route Destination.

Intro: The Carwings Router Planner is sluggish (though it does include range estimation based on your vehicle's state of charge). For many of us, Google Maps is our preferred route planner and I've discovered how you can send a Google Maps route destination from your computer to your Leaf's Navigation system. No more printing maps, writing down addresses on a sticky note or scrap of paper, etc.

Disclaimer: Exact procedures may vary depending on software versions in your vehicle. Be careful when setting/sharing your Carwings login name (not your nickname) since no secondary factor of authentication (e.g., a password) is required to send a route destination to your vehicle. These instructions do assume you have your Leaf and have Carwings setup and working with it (normally done upon delivery of the vehicle). Google claims that only the destination address is sent to the vehicle.

Use the search box to enter a start and end point for your route (e.g. "1551 Auto Park Way, 92029 to 8118 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, 92111"). Don't enter the double quotes and make absolutely sure you click on the 'Search Maps' button to the right of the search bar or it may not work

Driving Directions will be displayed - adjust as necessary if your addresses weren't specific until you have a clear 'Point A' to 'Point B' route

In the upper right header of the page will be some links to 'Print', 'Send', and 'Link' your Driving Directions. Click 'Send'.

A window will pop-up defaulting to sending the directions to an email address. In the left column, click on the second option 'Car'

Change the 'Name' of your route if you like, Choose 'Nissan' as the 'Make' and enter your Carwings username(a.k.a, your PIN from your Carwings setup sheet) in the 'NISSAN CARWINGS account' field next to it, add any notes you like, and click the 'Send' button. Note that checking the 'Use as default' box caches/stores a cookie on the computer you're using to remember the 'Make' and 'Nissan Carwings Account' field - so be sensitive about checking this box on public computers, etc. (but it makes things a lot faster for repeat entries)

Google sends the destination to the Carwings service which in turn, makes it available to your Carwings account and ultimately to your vehicle itself.

Use the search box to enter an address (Destination) (e.g. "Hometown buffet, Santa Ana CA"). Don't enter the double quotes and make absolutely sure you click on the 'Search Maps' button to the right of the search bar or it may not work

Up to several 'pinned' locations will be displayed - looking at the pin locations on the map, or the descriptions in the left column, note the pin letter that you are interested in (e.g. the HTB on 17th Street)

In the upper right header of the page will be some links to 'Print', 'Send', and 'Link' your Driving Directions. Click 'Send'.

A window will pop-up defaulting to sending the directions to an email address. In the left column, click on the second option 'Car'

Choose "your" pin letter from the 'Include' dropdown list at the top of the Send window (e.g., 'B. Home Town Buffet'), choose 'Nissan' as the 'Make' and enter your Carwings username(a.k.a, your PIN from your Carwings setup sheet) in the 'NISSAN CARWINGS account' field next to it, add any notes you like, and click the 'Send' button. The same security precautions about saving your default settings apply

Google sends the destination to the Carwings service which in turn, makes it available to your Carwings account and ultimately to your vehicle itself.

Note: This works for any location you've found on Google Maps and allows you to send the corresponding address to your car.

Step 2:*Manually* Retrieve the Route Destination from your Carwings account and use it to set a new destination in your Leaf Navigation System.

Start-up your car. You must be logged into Carwings for this to work (normally, you remain logged in after initial setup) and must have wireless network signal for your car.

After acknowledging the Nag Screen by clicking 'Accept', press the physical button labeled 'Zero Emissions' located on the extreme lower right of your navi display

Once you press delete, this deletes ALL of the feeds you've previously downloaded to your car (including your Google Maps Route Destinations). It however *does not* delete them from your Carwings account. As such, the next time you update the feeds (manual or auto), you will re-download the feeds you just deleted if you haven't sent new ones to your account up to a maximum of 6 feeds before they auto-delete

Note: Unfortunately, there's no online management of your Google maps Route Destinations. With some testing, it looks like it holds a max of 6 destinations in your Carwings account at any given time and basically, it's FIFO (First In, First Out) though it does seem to have a concept of keeping unread Route Destinations from the feed and not allowing them to be deleted until being 'read' (within the limit of 6, of course). Bottom line, you can keep sending as many Route Destinations from Google Maps as you want and you'll always have 6 on your vehicle after the sync with your Carwings account.

Note RE: Mobile Support
One thing I thought would be really cool is if you could do this on your smartphone and send to your car that way. Unfortunately, in my tests on an Apple Iphone (Maps), a recent Froyo Android phone (Maps and Navigation), and a Blackberry 6.x (Google Maps), I found no way to do this. You may be able to do it via a WAP/Safari/Opera/etc. browser but I didn't waste my time going that route.

Hope this helps.

-Mike

Last edited by sdbonez on Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:58 pm, edited 3 times in total.

1. Just type one location that you are looking for, instead of the "route" (a first address "to" a second address).

Example: Hometown buffet, Santa Ana CA

To select and send one of the "pinned" locations:
a. click the displayed map
b. looking at the pin locations on the map, or the descriptions in the left column, note the pin letter that you are interested in (the HTB on 17th Street).
c. click Send (at the top of the map) and choose "Car".
d. choose "your" pin letter from the dropdown list at the top of the Send window.
e. if necessary (not already stored), select NISSAN and enter your CW account ID.
f. click the Send button

When you have found/located any location on Google Maps, you can Send the corresponding address to your car.

QUESTION:
When you download destination(s) from CW manually, pause, and save each as an address, THEN these are "permanent" in your LEAF addresses, even if you delete the CW feeds, right?

BTW, one question, what are the differences between involving maps.google.com and this method, described on leafic.com, which doesn't seem to use Google maps? The two methods seem to differ in how the route is mapped initially and in how it is transmitted to a LEAF. In your method, the route is mapped in maps.google.com and sent via its "Send" feature. In the leafic.com method, the route is mapped and sent all from the CARWINGS Web site. Does that sound about right?

Yes, the navteq program is quite user unfriendly. Doesn't remember any addresses - for eg. But it does have the ability to show the route Leaf will use for the destination and you have the ability to adjust that route a bit.